TwinEagles’ Doc Suttie Provides Rx for Golfers

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"Live Where the Pros Play," is a welcoming catchphrase for Naples' TwinEagles, a 36-hole golf community distinguished for its Nicklaus-designed Talon Course, the ACE Group Classic venue for seven years, and its second course, the Eagle, named "Best New U.S. Private Course of the Year" by Golf Magazine.
TwinEagles is also notably lauded as the winter academy of golf headed by instructional legend Dr. Jim "Doc" Suttie, one of the world's best and most respected golf instructors.
What has differentiated Doc Suttie from other coaches is his application of the scientific and physiological approaches to improving a student's game.
He earned his Doctorate in Biomechanics from Middle Tennessee University building on his Master's degree in kinesiology.
His experience as golf coach at Eastern Kentucky University and years of studying biomechanics as it relates to the golf swing, served Doc well allowing him to create a framework for teaching that optimizes the relationship between the different body types and matching it with swing elements.
The result is a proven teaching technique, which is simple yet highly effective, and part of what earned him the distinction in 2000 as National PGA Teacher of the Year.
Other golf coaching positions include his time at Northwestern University from 1985-91. He also started and coached Florida Gulf Coast University's program when they won 23 tournaments in "Doc's" 10 years of coaching. Of special note, Doc is also the only person to hold a PhD in biomechanics and a PGA card.
"My teaching philosophy for the past 40 years has been to individualize the instruction to fit each player's swing and body type," notes Doc. "Though I've instructed over 100 PGA tour pros, I've got a passion to work with weekend golfers and beginners, too."
Doc has made it his life's work to figure out not only what makes a good swing, but also what makes a good swing for each individual player.
Though his list of notable students is long, Doc might best be acclaimed for his coaching success at Eastern Kentucky University where he won two Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Championships in four seasons and was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1976. This was followed by his time at Brevard Community College in Central Florida, where he coached Paul Azinger who went on to 12 PGA victories, the PGA Championship and captained a successful U.S. Ryder Cup team.
According to Jack Nicklaus, TwinEagles boasts "one of the finest practice facilities in the nation."
Doc Suttie is the only person who holds a PhD in biomechanics and a PGA card.